Changes of vascular endothelial growth factor and neuropilin-1 in rats with early blast lung injury and its correlation with lung injury / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

[Abstract] Objective To explore the regular pattern of the changes of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and neuropilin-1 (NRP-1) of rat model in early (<48h) blast lung injury (BLI) and the correlation of such changes to the degree of lung injury. Methods The rat model of lung blast injury was established with reducing three-way pipe and fixed pressure pneumatic simulation device. Forty SD rats were randomly divided into 5 groups control group (C), 1h after blast (B1h), 6h after blast (B6h), 24h after blast (B24h) and 48h after blast (B48h) group. The data were collected of concentrations of VEGF and NRP-1 in serum and lung tissue. The degree of lung injury was estimated. Results The levels of NRP-1 increased in both serum and lung tissue (P<0.01) and the level of VEGF decreased in lung tissue (P<0.05) in control group than in B groups. The concentrations of NRP-1 in serum and lung tissue were highest, and of VEGF in lung tissue were lowest in the group B6h. The lung injury score was positively correlated with the levels of NRP-1 in lung tissue (r=0.429, P=0.014). In group B6h, the lung injury score was negatively correlated with the levels of VEGF in lung tissue (r=–0.769, P=0.013). In group B48h, both the lung injury score and the wet and dry ratios (W/D) of lung tissue were positively correlated with the concentrations of VEGF in serum (r=0.777, P=0.012 and r=0.687, P=0.030, respectively). Pulmonary interstitial vascular rupture, alveolar hemorrhage, alveolar epithelial cell and capillary injuries, and accompanied by inflammatory cell infiltration were the basic pathological changes of BLI. Conclusion The levels of NRP-1 and VEGF in serum and lung tissue may vary with time and are correlated with the degree of lung injury in early BLI.